Shrimp & Asparagus with Garlic & Parsley Pearl Couscous

This post was sponsored by ALDI as part of Influencer Activation for Influence Central. #TasteOfALDI #IC

I have a confession to make – I struggle with creating light meals that my entire family enjoys. As I mentioned many times before, my husband is a die-hard meat eater, very resistance to healthy changes, and not an adventurous foodie. And with four kids with different tastes in food, it can be a huge challenge to create affordable healthy meals that everyone will eat. Lucky for me, the new Southern California ALDI stores are helping me to prepare ‘better for you’ meals, like this Shrimp & Asparagus with Garlic & Parsley Pearl Couscous that won’t break the bank and satisfies my picky hubby.

If you haven’t heard about ALDI, head over and read my blog post, 5 Reasons Californians Should Shop at ALDI, where I highlight the main reasons I made the ALDI switch. Basically, ALDI has changed my mind about the way I shop. I used to think organic foods and products without artificial ingredients meant a higher grocery bill and were too expensive for my family of six budget. But ALDI has made it simple for me to make smarter food choices by stocking their shelves with 90% ALDI exclusive brands that are free from over 125 artificial ingredients and preservatives! I won’t find added MSG, certified synthetic colors, or partially hydrogenated oils in any ALDI exclusive brand. Plus, shopping at ALDI helps me save up to 50%* on my grocery bill, which means I can make seafood dishes, like this Shrimp & Asparagus with Garlic & Parsley Pearl Couscous, more often!

*Based upon a price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores

During my various trips to ALDI, I had the opportunity to try several ALDI exclusive brands & products:

SimplyNature® – product line which includes USDA Certified organic and Non-GMO verified items

All ALDI brands are regularly tested to taste as good, or better than national brands and using any ALDI product would make for a tasty meal. However, when I saw the fresh Americas Asparagus staring at me in the produce aisle, I squealed a little inside. I LOVE asparagus and couldn’t resist pairing it with Sea Queen Medium Easy Peel Raw Shrimp, fresh tomatoes, carrots, and Journey to Israel Garlic & Parsley Pearl Couscous for a lighter summer dish.

To start, prepare the shrimp by defrosting and peeling the shells off. Add them to a pan over medium heat with butter and garlic. Add salt/pepper to taste and cook for 3 -4 minutes, just until all the shrimp turn pink. Scoop out the shrimp and set aside. Leave any liquids from the shrimp in the pan to cook the vegetables. While the shrimp are cooking, start pearl couscous according to the package directions. Make sure to stir constantly to prevent the couscous from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once the couscous is done, remove from the heat and set aside for later.

In the same pan that was used to cook the shrimp, add more butter, garlic, and onions. Cook the onions until translucent, then add the chopped asparagus. When the asparagus is fork tender, add the shredded carrots and cook until just softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Immediately remove the vegetable mix from the heat and set aside with the chopped tomato for later.

Now that all the cooking is done, it’s time to put it all together. In a large bowl, add the pearl couscous, shrimp, cooked vegetables, chopped tomato, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Mix until all the ingredients are distributed evenly. Serve warm.

Note

Do not use processed Parmesan cheese in a bottle. This recipe taste best when freshly grated Parmesan cheese is used.

Directions

Pearl Couscous

Step 1

Prepare the pearl couscous according to the box instructions. Set aside.

Shrimp

Step 2

To a pan over medium heat, add 1 T. butter, 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic, and shrimp. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes until all the shrimp are cooked and pink. Scoop the shrimp out of the pan and set aside, leaving any juices in the pan.

Vegetables

Step 3

To the same pan the shrimp was cooked, add 1 T. butter, 1/2 tsp. garlic, and onions. Cook onions until just translucent. Add asparagus and cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until the asparagus is fork tender. Add carrots and cook for another minute. Add salt/pepper to taste. Immediately remove from heat and set aside.

Combine mix

Step 4

In a large bowl, add the cooked pearl couscous, cooked vegetables, chopped tomato, shrimp, shredded Parmesan cheese, and the zest of a half of a small lemon, adding more zest if needed. Mix until all the ingredients are combined well. Serve warm.

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